Playbill

19 June 1911

Paper, printing

55,7х35,6

The Khotyn poster dated 19 July 1911 is of particular interest as direct evidence of local theatrical charity in aid of flood victims. The source states that the proceeds were intended for “the residents of the Prut district of Khotyn uyezd who suffered from the flood in July of this year”. The performance was staged by the Society of Amateur Dramatic Art at Zilberman’s summer theatre. For the charity evening, the organizers chose V. A. Tikhonov’s popular comedy “Cherez krai”. Most likely, this choice was due to the play’s established place in the repertory; at the same time, in this context the title itself sounded especially evocative, unintentionally echoing the image of water overflowing its banks. In terms of content, however, the play is not about a natural disaster, but rather about domestic anxieties. This unintended semantic affinity between the title of the play and the occasion for the charitable collection makes the poster an interesting cultural document.

КП 310370/1097/299